Materials

With acid-based stains, you can add an attractive, low-maintenance finish to ordinary concrete floorsby Shellie Rigsby

There are plenty of new options for storage and organization; you might even reclaim some parking spaceby Charles Bickford

Laminated-veneer lumber lets you assemble big beams without a big crewby John Spier

Comfortable quarters for a family of five on a postage-stamp lot in Houston, but for only $70 per square footby Carlos Ulloa

Dramatic strength combined with zero shrinkage puts engineered beams and headers on more and more job sitesby Scott Gibson

From old standbys like hardwood to new contenders like laminates, the choices are daunting. We evaluate the pros, cons, and costs.by Nena Donovan Levine

Strip oak is not the only option, but without some guidelines, choosing among strip, plank, prefinished, solid and engineered floors can be toughby Roe A. Osborn

Unlike a plywood or backerboard substrate, a modified mud job might be more reliable over the long haulby Tom Meehan

Because of environmental concerns, cork and linoleum now compete with vinyl as attractive, durable flooring alternativesby Rick Gregory

Strategies for toning down sound transmission in wood-framed floors and ceilingsby Russell DuPree